The Tale of Negrath Chapter XXVI.

Standing in a corridor that swung out of sight a few meters ahead, the group turned to Keldorn as he cleared his throat;

"If we see a door on the right hand just around the corner, this will be it."

"Opposition?"

"They couldn't say. They felt that there were more than what they "saw", so there's probably a few talented mages on the other side…"

"Then I suggest we withdraw and give our own spellcasters a chance to prepare themselves properly."

"We will not set up camp in here, though?"

"No. We'll watch over them as they gain whatever spells might help us against hostile mages."

Aerie looked at him, caution having returned full force;

"You know…we do have something right here evil mages would not be able to do anything to…"

"No, Aerie. That will never happen…just pray it never happens."

…Wait. Aerie, you got the spells to keep yourself and Jaheira undisturbed?"

"…I…I think so…"

"Then you do that. And one of you pull something out of your sleeve that can open this door quickly and on it's own."

An aerial servant and a wave of invisibility later, the three fighters lined up behind the conjured spirit, their only protection their magically increased speed and well-trained agility… The two non-Bhaalspawn had discarded their heavy armor, in the hopes that it would allow them to reach who had to be reached, quickly enough to cut them down before too many troublesome things could be cast. The Servant grabbed hold of the doorframe, and disappeared for a moment, taking it with it. Through the resulting hole stormed the three warriors of Light, shouting whatever could offer a distraction for the mages that were up against them.

By the Time the Kensai recognized that the man in the middle of the room talked to him, he were already leading his blades in a dual-direction cut. Snarling as the chief thief nimbly jumped backwards, he could hear Jaheira call forth the Swarm once more. Turning to look at Keldorn, who was chopping at a mage that appeared quite distraught at the loss of his shield, Negrath called;

"Dispell the others! The Swarm will keep 'em busy."

Whipping around, the knight manipulated the powers of his blade to blanket the room in an aura of neutralized magic. As Minsc saw the shimmering barrier that had blocked his swings fade, he bellowed in joy, and nearly split the man down the middle. Keldorn swung his blade in a wide enough arch to carve into the cut-up mage behind him, making the opponent fall with a wet smack to the floor. Negrath on the other hand, set both handles to the temples of the man that had to be his target, seeing him slump to the ground, and hurried to the archers that had annoyed him throughout.

Soon enough, he and his friends had forced them into a corner, where they were made to follow their leaders example. Aerie having instructed her Servant to bring the important thief to Negrath's room, and make sure he did not wake, the group set out to return to their current base of operations.

Meeting with Bodhi in the graveyard the following night, a thief slung over the back of all the groups members, Negrath dropped Aran to the ground, hearing his friends copy the move with their own unconscious captives;

"There he is. You want him dead, you kill him…although I believe he be far more valuable alive."

"That he is." The vampire smiled, as she was wont to do;

"What a toy he'll be…"

"And then our business is concluded, is it not?" Negrath inquired.

"Coin." Were the short reply.

"We're working on it…we need to sell of quite a bit of stuff first."

"Work harder." The nocturnal creature stated casually, as she turned, transformed, and left, servants appearing out of nowhere to spirit the downed thieves away.

Coughing, Negrath growled, looking disgustedly at the retreating bat;

"I hate it when they do that!"

Having gathered what coin they could carry, they once again stood inside the district exit the next night, fully aware that she would be expecting them. As the shape of a humanoid female approached from the archway, cold eyes seemed to study what was visible of the coinbags slung over the shoulders of all but Aerie.

"You do not have enough." The vampire that quite clearly were not Bodhi, stated.

Nodding that it was so, Negrath snarled;

"You saying the great Bodhi is unable to get hold of a few lousy thousand?"

"No. I am saying that you do not have enough."

Sighing, the Kensai slung his arms in the air, accompanied by various expressions of annoyance from the group;

"Fine, fine, I'll get you the last few coins."

Flashing his blades up to cross at the throat of the undead woman, he could almost convince himself he saw a flicker of fear in the tarpools she called eyes;

"But keep your paws off Viconia. I'm warning you…I have something that when let loose, will eradicate your little settlement within the hour. Go ask your precious "mistress". She'll know."

Studying the enchanted blades ready to clip her head off, she slid a claw-like nail along one of them, almost casually;

"You know you can do no such thing…and even if you could, we would be back within the following day."

"Not if a knightly order stood ready to stake you in your coffins." Negrath smiled malevolently, chuckling as he finally could confirm the sight of dawning fear in her eyes.

"Go tell your Mother." He taunted; "And ask her how much resistance you and your ghoulish helpers would be able to pit against me, were I to let go…"

"You…you would not be able to touch us, no matter what…"

"You think those are claws?" Aerie piped up, evidently having converted her fear into some sort of courage, and pointing at the long nails of the vampiress.

"You ever hear of the Slayer before you drowned yourself in Bodhi's graces?" she continued at the other's uncomprehending silence.

As the woman seemed to grow impossibly paler, the Avariel stepped up to her, stabbing a finger at the bloodsucker's forehead;

"Why do you think your mistress keeps referring to him as "Bhaalspawn"?"

As the undead woman stared at Negrath, blades at her throat entirely forgotten, Aerie, stepped back to look sadly her;

"You didn't know she did, did you…?"

"Not…not our place to know what she…what she…"

With a wail of confusion an pain, the vampiress dissolved into dust.

Looking around confusedly, they became aware that some other servant of the Mistress, somewhere close by, must have cast False Dawn. As the unnatural sunlight faded, another servant of the Vampire Queen approached, leading two others, who, upon reaching the adventurers, motioned for the bags to be delivered to them. So doing, Negrath and his friends watched in bland interest as the vampire servants took two bags each, leaving Negrath's for their "lieutenant".

So having relieved the mortals for their burden, the leader smirked;

"Nice work on her, mortal. Do not expect it to happen that easily again."

Gesturing for Minsc's blade;

"That would do nicely for the rest…Irenicus is not the only one with an interest in it."

With an expression as though he were giving away Boo, the ranger undid the fastenings of the sheath, and offered it with a tired gesture;

"Anything for the return of friends."

The weapon slung over the head vampiress shoulder, they were gone.

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Last modified on September 2, 2001
Copyright © 2001-2003 by Hans-Olav Bråtun. All rights reserved.